When people think of police brutality, they typically think of cops beating up the criminals they capture. But the majority of police calls involve more mundane public disturbances and domestic situations involving everyday people. As one anonymous criminal justice instructor states, “A police show that gave an accurate account of police life would be about officers on patro dealing with confused, irritable, or unhappy loverd, parents, and kids.” (Kitchens, 2021) When police respond in a poor way, they’ve been known to use excessive force against children and teens. Here are some examples of police brutality cases involving children:

Acting like a child
Police in Rochester, New York, were called to respond to a domestic disturbance call involving a family. When they arrived, they encountered a distraught and hysterical child. The girl kept calling out for her father, and said she wanted to kill herself and her mother while trying to run away. So the three officers, in a show of unnecessary and excessive force, wrestled the 9-year-old girl down into the snow on the ground, handcuffed her, and then once she was handcuffed, pepper-sprayed her in the face for good measure. As the officers were trying to put the little girl into a police car, one of them said, “You’re acting like a child,” to which the girl astutely responded, “I am a child.” The three officers were removed from patrol duty following this incident. (The Week, Feb. 12, 2021, p. 6)

Out of Control School Police Officer
In Louisville, Kentucky, a school resource officer working at Olmstead Academy North was arrested on Feb. 3 for using excessive force with students.  Police say he struck a 13-year-old across the face and then 5 days later put another 13-year-old into a choke hold until the child lost consciousness.  The 31-year-old officer was suspended from the force without pay after his arrest. (2/4/2015)

References:

Kitchens, A. (2021, November 22) “Polishing the precint,” The New Yorker,” p. 16-18